"Dinner for Schmucks": serving up a buffet of lame puns for review slug lines

To paraphrase Zach Galifianakis in his recent interview with Steve Carell, Carell has proved himself to be above criticism. Despite several questionable comedies following his rise to stardom on The Daily Show and the American adaptation of The Office, Carell continues to enjoy the reputation of a down-to-earth star with a solid box-office draw. Likewise, Paul Rudd, who was for a while best known to my generation as the not-blood-relation love interest in Clueless, has carved a nice comedy niche for himself in the world of Adam McKay/Judd Apatow style comedies, some (the David Wain-directed Role Models) far better than others (last year's uneven I Love You, Man).

As I stated previously in my summer comedy preview, Dinner For Schmucks, based on the French film The Dinner Game, seemed as though it would be a hit-or-miss. I was right. Were it not for the charm of Carell and Rudd, the movie would have been a total dud.

Dinner for Schmucks, directed by helmer Jay Roach (Meet the Parents), follows Tim (Rudd), a financial advisor hoping to advance his career. The only catch is he has to bring an unsuspecting dolt to a “dinner for losers” hosted by his boss every month. A chance encounter with Barry (Carell), an IRS agent with a hobby that combines dioramas and taxidermy, seems to be the answer to Tim's promotional problem. Of course, Tim's almost-fiancée Julie (Stephanie Szostak) isn't on board, and seems to be the object of artist Kieran's affections (played by the scene-stealing Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords). The film builds predictably to a predictable climax and a predictable resolution where everything works out in the end.

Dinner for Schmucks is an innocuous comedy – it's not hysterical, but consistently amusing, thanks in part to the amazingly deep cast. Aside from Zach Galifianakis in a supporting role, the screen is shared by the likes of Kristen Schaal (Mel in Flight of the Conchords), Nick Kroll (Chupacabra on some season 6 episodes of Reno 911!), Ron Livingston (Peter in Office Space), puppeteer with mass appeal Jeff Dunham, Octavia Spencer (the prostitute in Bad Santa that “didn't shit right for a week”), and Daily Show correspondent Larry Whilmore, just to name a few. Most of the weight, though, is carried by Carell and his ability to play the likable loser. Unlike Will Ferrell or Seth Rogen, who often play similar roles, Carell can perform in a way that makes the character completely sympathetic, which although unrealistic, is necessary for such an absurd comedy as this to stay afloat.

It's not a laugh riot, it's not groundbreaking, but, this being the highest praise I can offer to Dinner for Schmucks, it's not a disaster.

TOO MUCH: Emotional story arc. Granted, the side plots with Tim and Barry's respective women are far from the focus of the film, there's enough in there to make it feel forced. There was almost too much Zach Galifianakis, whom I fear audiences are going to quickly tire of.

COULD HAVE USED MORE: Embracing the absurdity of the dinner antics – I daresay a few comedic punches were pulled back. When a movie is cast with the likes of Carell, Rudd, Clement, Galifianakis, Schaal, and Kroll, more improv is always welcome. I'd be surprised if the DVD release weren't chock full of alternate takes and extended scenes.

FILM SNOB NOTE: In the original French film, it was more of a dark social satire than screwball comedy, and the dinner in question didn't even occur. The word "schmuck" or phrase "dinner for schmucks" doesn't appear anywhere in the actual film, thankfully.

IHYFM RATING: THREE out of FIVE MEHS. It's an inoffensive and ultimately forgettable comedy that still manages to deliver a consistent stream of chuckles. If you wanted to see it after watching the trailer, you'll probably enjoy it. If you've grown accustomed to the raunchier and riskier R-rated comedies that have been in vogue as of late, you may be a little disappointed.

IF YOU SAID THIS WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE, I'D THINK: You have the taste of a shmendrik.

"The Hangover": inexplicably enormously successful

I am not sure I am fully prepared for the shit storm I'm about to bring onto myself, but it needs to be said.

"The Hangover" was not that funny.

That's not to say I didn't appreciate it, in fact quite the opposite. It was somehow gratifying to see Todd Phillips strike gold with a cast of relative unknowns. "The Daily Show" and "The Office" alum Ed Helms. "Comedians of Comedy" scene-stealer Zach Galifianakis. "Wet Hot American Summer" jaw-line Bradley Cooper. That dude that played the groom.

I've long been a fan of the stand up of Galifianakis, ever since seeing him live in 2003 when he opened for Janeane Garofalo at my university. I'd never seen anything like it. His utterly deadpan delivery, stream-of-consciousness turn-of-phrase quips, and willingness to get as silly or highbrow as necessary for a laugh, is truly something to see, especially if he comes back on stage to acknowledge a standing ovation without any pants. If you have Netflix, incidentally, you can watch both the aforementioned documentary "The Comedians of Comedy" or his special "Live at The Purple Onion" with the Watch It Now feature. Come back when you're finished.

Without Zach Galifianakis along for the ride, punctuating scenes with his absurdity, this movie would have been just another comedy to drop out of the box office by week number three. Phillips' bold decision to showcase Zach, combined with the fact 2009 has been an awfully weak year for comedies, is what I attribute to "The Hangover" becoming the summer phenomenon it turned out to be.

Let me repeat that - an overall weak year for mainstream comedies, and the non-sequitor genius of Zach Galifianakis, is why this movie worked.

I saw "The Hangover" with a bunch of buddies opening weekend. We were in a packed theater, and we'd prefaced the show with a few rounds of drinks. I even had a little supply on hand to spike our Diet Cokes (we're very health conscious) as necessary. This packed theater, with a half-row of buzzed comedy fans, on opening weekend of an anticipated movie that didn't yet have the opportunity to be ruined by water-cooler conversation, was, for the most part, silent the duration of the movie.

There were no explosive group guffaws. Just scattered chuckles. The closest the theater got to hysterics was the final slide show with Zach in the elevator getting the full "Brown Bunny" treatment, and it was more shock and disgust than laughter.

Phillips' two previous best efforts, "Old School" and "Road Trip", stand above "The Hangover" in my mind for two reasons - better overall plot lines from start to finish, and bigger laugh moments. Think Will Ferrel streaking or lighting himself on fire, or Tom Green trying to compel a snake to eat a mouse. "The Hangover" with all its wandering and only intermittently amusing detours, feels sluggish in comparison. And, sadly, the movie's biggest asset, Galifianakis, could be considered its biggest detractor as well. His comedy and delivery is funny because it's so incredibly deadpan, muted, and absurd. Instead of ramping up the movie, though, it often pumps the brakes. And when Galifianakis is the biggest driving force behind a scattered hit-and-miss plot, that just makes for an okay comedy.

TOO MUCH: Mike Tyson, Rob Riggle subplot, undeserved media hype

COULD HAVE USED MORE: Heather Graham (only because I've had a wild crush on her since "Swingers", and weird sexual fantasies about her since "Boogie Nights"), rewrites, Bradley Cooper improvisation

FILM SNOB NOTE: Todd Phillips was, in the words of comedian Patton Oswalt, in 'comedy jail' due to "School For Scoundrels" and barely got this movie green lit. Since the success of "The Hangover", he's flush with eleven projects in the pipeline. Also, this is possibly funnier than anything Cooper and Zach did in the movie.

IHYFM RATING: THREE out of FIVE MEHS

IF YOU TOLD ME THIS WAS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE, I'D THINK: This was the only comedy you'd ever seen.

Think I'm wrong? Let me have it in the comments.